iphone Apple

[-T- Member]

I regret updating my 4S to iOS6, however I also have an android device so I can survive the maps for now. I'm eagerly awaiting a jailbreak before I put it on my iPads though

[Elliott]

Wow, that's astonishing. One of the busiest, most heavily populated areas on the planet and Apple's maps make it look like a pleasant spot in the countryside.

It's just selectively zoomed. If you zoom in a little further, the POIs start popping up and the individual buildings start standing out.

[jakem1]

It's just selectively zoomed. If you zoom in a little further, the POIs start popping up and the individual buildings start standing out.

Compare the two maps in the image. Google clearly differentiates different sized roads whereas Apple have only clearly identified Euston Road and Gray's Inn Road. Despite this, Apple haven't even managed to name the roads despite the fact that Euston Road is the main thoroughfare across this part of Central London. Instead they named a couple of random side streets.

Apple also fails to identify Kings Cross Station despite the fact that it's one of the largest and most important mainline stations in London. They identified St Pancras Station but failed to use the Network Rail symbol which makes it look like an indistinct, generic landmark. These two stations are two of the most important landmarks in that part of London and Apple failed to properly identify either of them. Note that Google maps doesn't have these problems.

Finally, the colours and design of the maps is just awful. It reminds me of the maps that MS used to produce in the mid '90s (Mapquest maps?). The streets are hard to distinguish from each other and from the background and it's impossible to tell whether one street is larger than another.

You shouldn't have to zoom to fix these problems (and no amount of zooming will fix the dreadful colour scheme). Besides, if Google can get the amount of detail right at that zoom level why can't Apple?

[Elliott]

Compare the two maps in the image. Google clearly differentiates different sized roads whereas Apple have only clearly identified Euston Road and Gray's Inn Road. Despite this, Apple haven't even managed to name the roads despite the fact that Euston Road is the main thoroughfare across this part of Central London. Instead they named a couple of random side streets.

I do agree with you on that. Apple will definitely have to make some tweaks to their relevance algorithms.

Apple also fails to identify Kings Cross Station despite the fact that it's one of the largest and most important mainline stations in London. They identified St Pancras Station but failed to use the Network Rail symbol which makes it look like an indistinct, generic landmark. These two stations are two of the most important landmarks in that part of London and Apple failed to properly identify either of them. Note that Google maps doesn't have these problems.

The railroad POIs do appear distinctly as railroads. The problem there is that the screenshot has been scaled down, so the POI markers lost a lot of detail. I suppose you could argue that that presents usability problems, but the point is that the POIs do have clear color and icon differentiation.

I have always liked that Google uses the logos of the transit authorities, though. Hopefully Apple begins doing that.

Finally, the colours and design of the maps is just awful. It reminds me of the maps that MS used to produce in the mid '90s (Mapquest maps?). The streets are hard to distinguish from each other and from the background and it's impossible to tell whether one street is larger than another.

You shouldn't have to zoom to fix these problems (and no amount of zooming will fix the dreadful colour scheme). Besides, if Google can get the amount of detail right at that zoom level why can't Apple?

To each his own. I think the maps look much better than Google's, especially in regards to the typography.

As for zoom level issues, the maps are fully scalable and POIs and street names fade in and out of view via some algorithm (probably a mix of client-side code and server-side data). It looks like Apple just needs to tweak that or give certain roads and POIs a higher priority.

[neufuse Veteran]

It's just selectively zoomed. If you zoom in a little further, the POIs start popping up and the individual buildings start standing out.

I don't like how roads are invisible until you zoom in more and more... I dont think I've ever seen or used a map that shows you main roads only until you zoom in a lot to see the secondary roads the more to see auxiliary roads... so use to just seeing all the roads and knowing ok there is other ways to go

[Planar1280]

No issues here but

[remixedcat]

I'd do it if i could code....

[jakem1]

No issues here but

Maybe they should have hired a mapping team before releasing the software :laugh: They also need to get their designers to work on the maps app because it's not as skeuomorphic as it could be. Where are the fake grid lines?

[LaP]

I don't think anything can beat google maps.... can it?

Not where i live. Here it's google maps or nothing.

[Nashy]

http://theamazingios6maps.tumblr.com/

[Elliott]

I don't like how roads are invisible until you zoom in more and more... I dont think I've ever seen or used a map that shows you main roads only until you zoom in a lot to see the secondary roads the more to see auxiliary roads... so use to just seeing all the roads and knowing ok there is other ways to go

Can't say I've had that problem unless I've zoomed out pretty far. The smaller roads are either solid gray lines or smaller white lines with borders, depending on my zoom level.

[123456789A]

Maybe they should have hired a mapping team before releasing the software :laugh: They also need to get their designers to work on the maps app because it's not as skeuomorphic as it could be. Where are the fake grid lines?

I want fake crumpled paper effect and maybe even pirate's treasure X's in random places.

[cacoe]

[Planar1280]

Maybe they should have hired a mapping team before releasing the software :laugh: They also need to get their designers to work on the maps app because it's not as skeuomorphic as it could be. Where are the fake grid lines?

have you thought of the fact that maybe they are just expanding their maps team?

[jakem1]

I resent the implication.

have you thought of the fact that maybe they are just expanding their maps team?

Yep and I discounted it. Judging by the quality of the maps app I'd say it must have been written by the Ping team or some other team that has no idea about cartography :p

[LittleNeutrino Veteran]

thankfully i will never have to find out.

[(Spork)]

I don't think anything can beat google maps.... can it?

WAZE app

[Sranshaft]

I don't think anything can beat google maps.... can it?

I know I may be in the minority here but I find Bing Maps to be pretty good and use it alot on my Omnia 7. I'd say it's at least on par with Google Maps at least and far better than Apple's attempt.

Local Scout is pretty decent even here in Australia and can usually find a bunch of restaurants, attractions, etc that are close by. Even the directions seem to be better giving landmarks to help guide me if needed. Something I wasn't able to get on my Android phone.

[+Eternal Tempest MVC]

I think Apple new Map app is something Steve Jobs would of never let out the door in it's current form.

[remixedcat]

WAZE app

Thanks, I'll look into that.

[bjoswald]

GPS is a big deal for me so this is really upsetting. I hope they get it all sorted out before October (contract renewal/upgrade)!

[grik]

The problem is not in the App is on the Database and you will see improvments without updating anything. The thing is, the database as it is right now is not competitive and it will be great for Google to push their own private app.

[jakem1]

The problem is not in the App is on the Database and you will see improvments without updating anything. The thing is, the database as it is right now is not competitive and it will be great for Google to push their own private app.

Improvements to the database will improve some aspects of the app (POIs, accurate locations, etc.) but it won't fix all the problems that have been reported. For instance, the actual look of the maps is awful and can't compare to Google or Bing Maps.

[Brian Miller]

How easy is it to hack-install the old Maps app back on to the iPhone and do you think Google are just sitting back, waiting for everyone to get the new iPhone 5 and feel angry at Apple before releasing their own new map app?

[Quillz]

Improvements to the database will improve some aspects of the app (POIs, accurate locations, etc.) but it won't fix all the problems that have been reported. For instance, the actual look of the maps is awful and can't compare to Google or Bing Maps.

Isn't that something that can also be improved on the database? The Maps app is really just a shortcut, in a way, to wherever the actual data is being stored, so I'm under the impression all aspects of Maps can be silently updated on a regular basis.